Breaking a Weight Loss Plateau

Losing the weight after having bariatric surgery is fun and exciting but that doesn’t mean it’s always consistent. Many patients will experience weight stalls or plateaus. This can be part of normal weight loss, unfortunately. For most patients it is frustrating and can be discouraging. Don’t be discouraged! Check yourself!

When weight stalls or plateaus happen, I always encourage patients to food journal. It can be very eye-opening. It forces you to really evaluate the foods you’re eating or not eating. Are you getting enough protein? Are you eating often enough? Are you snacking too often? Are old habits creeping back in?

The next thing I ask patients to look at is activity level. Are you setting aside time for structured activity? Is your body used to the activity you are doing? Sometimes starting a new exercise plan or just increasing the intensity of your current plan can make a big difference. If you are hitting the gym and feel like you’re building muscle then you may need to pay more attention to your measurements than the scale. Muscle is denser than fat so you may notice a difference in your measurements even if the number on the scale isn’t moving.

The next time you encounter a weight stall or plateau simply ask yourself these questions. Remember, the team at Saint Francis Center for Surgical Weight Loss is always here to help!